Thank God for Praying Friends

 

The past couple weeks have been very hard for my daughter.  She has been anxious and depressed and even tearful at work.  Even an increase in her anxiety medication didn’t seem to help.  There have been many prayers lifted in her behalf.  But I have been amazed by all the calls and emails and cards of encouragement that she has received, mostly from her church friends. 

    But last night blew us away!  One of her church friends invited her to go out for supper — but Sara didn’t know that a whole crowd of her friends would be there.  Not only were the tables full, but several brought cards and gifts of encouragement — even Reese Cups, her favorite.  She had the biggest smile we have seen in several weeks.

     After the meal, we went outside the restaurant and each lady prayed for Sara and for our church — prayer meeting on the sidewalk!  It lifted Sara’s spirits so much!  She said it was the BEST day — she really felt the love from all those precious ladies. 

     It was such a blessing to this momma’s heart to hear all those prayers for my sweet daughter.  She is much better — no more tears this week — and we are both so thankful for praying friends.  

Share the Good News!

  I was checking out the 50% off Valentine candy aisle at Walmart today — the day after Valentine’s Day — when a random guy started talking to me. He said the candy reminded him of the day he was adopted. He said his new parents took him to the store after they left the courthouse and bought him 7 sets of clothes — then they went to the drug store and bought him a bag of candy.  He said that he would never forget that day and he gave the credit to Christ for changing his life. I was so touched by that testimony in the candy aisle and I thanked him for sharing that with me.

Then I was checking Facebook and saw a testimony from a friend that I met thru Disaster Relief. He was praising God for 9 years of being sober — freed from addiction to drugs and alcohol — and gave all the credit to Christ. He is now working full time at one of the Baptist rebuild centers.

These men volunteered their testimony because they had been transformed by a mighty God and they weren’t afraid to share that good news.   When you have such Good News, you want to tell someone!

 

In Everything Give Thanks

I had thyroid cancer over 20 years ago. it came back about 6 years ago in my lung, but I was fine after surgery. Now it has showed up again, this time in lymph nodes in my chest. After 2 1/2 weeks on a very restrictive diet and 2 injections, I drove back to Baptist Hospital for a scan that involved lying still for about 1 1/2 hours. The results were not what I hoped for -- the radioactive iodine treatment would not work. So now on to Plan B -- a biopsy. I wanted to listen to an audio book by my favorite author, Jan Karon, called "Bathed in Prayer" but since I was driving, I just randomly hit a chapter. Happened to be a sermon on the verse, "In Everything Give thanks" -- he said to give thanks even in the hard things. Perfect timing! Here are some things I gave thanks for: That warm blanket they put over me during the scan. The best parking place ever. The end of that diet so I can eat whatever I want. A gazillion people praying for me. A phone call from my friend telling me to get a donut -- and a Krispy Kreme right on my way. Plan B. The best doctors taking care of me. Safe travels for my trips to the hospital this week. Cappuchino on the way home. The last part of the sermon was from Philippians 4 "...Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." The chapter ended with the verse, "I know the plans I have for you, ... plans to give you hope and a future." Wow! That was a Godwink! The perfect message for me at that moment! I keep thinking of that Goodness of God song: "All my life You have been faithful All my life You have been so so good With every breath that I am able I will sing of the goodness of God."

What a Heritage!

I was looking at a couple of my favorite Psalms this morning -- Psalm 61 and 62, when I noticed a verse that I hadn't paid attention to before. Psalm 61:5 said "you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name." I started thinking about what a blessing it was to have Christian parents and grandparents and even great-granparents that I never knew but heard stories about. My great-grandfather, David Frazier, taught Sunday School at the little church out in the country in WV. He picked up other children with his horse and wagon and drove them to church. He and my great-grandmother were charter members at the Red House United Brethren church. The tradition of teaching Sunday school carried on through the generations. My grandan Frazier and both my parents served as Sunday School teachers, and even I taught Sunday school when I was younger. They were all such an example to my brothers and me. My brother became a minister, and his daughter is a missionary. What a heritage! Another verse that popped out today was Psalm 61:6 -- "Prolong the life of the king, may his years endure to all generations." I'm praying now that God would prolong the life of 2 men on my prayer list who are seriously ill, that their years may endure for more generations. I love how the scriptures still bring comfort and inspiration today, thousands of years after they were written.

Precious Memories .... How They Linger

I stopped in a new Christian book store on my walk yesterday, and there was a picture on the wall that brought a flood of emotions and tears. It was a little frame church that looked so much like the church I attended as a child -- and the memories got me all choked up as I tried to talk to the owner. He said many tears had been shed in that store -- I was not the first. My church was the second one in that location. My great grandparents were charter members in the 1800's when it was built. There was no air-conditioning or padded pews or bathrooms except for the outhouse out back. But I have so many memories! I think of the sweet elderly people who sat on the left side in the front. And Mr. Warner who always said,"Wonderful! Wonderful," when the choir or my girls chorus sang. My Sunday School class with the flannel board stories, and later the youth group class where everyone painted their chair and labeled it with their name. The picture in the front of Jesus knocking on the door. Santa coming down the aisle with a bag full of presents for all the kids after the Christmas program where the little kids said their "piece" and the youth put on a play. Youth Sunday when all the teenagers led the service. Revival services -- especially the one when I was 10 years old -- I walked the aisle ond knelt at the altar bench and gave my heart to God. We built a new church after I finished college -- I was married in the new church -- and the old church is now covered with kudzu and falling down. But it was such a special place to me. I can still picture my grandan Frazier singing "Amazing Grace" and my dad leading the choir and my mother's strong alto voice. I picture my brothers and many others praying at the altar. Sometimes I'll admit I sat in the back and read my "Builders" magazine and didn't hear a word the preacher said. But that little church is where I first learned to love Jesus and His people. Most of the people who went to church there are in Heaven now -- and I look forward to seeing them again one day. Those days will live on in my memory -- I am so thankful for that little church between the Kanawha River and Red Rock.

Can’t Steal My Joy!

After months and MONTHS of no choir singing, we have started having socially distanced church choir practice.  It’s not the same as sitting side by side — hearing the voices blending instead of mostly hearing just myself — but it’s a lot better than no singing at all.

We have started working on Christmas music, including one of my favorites — “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.”  As we sang the last verse, I got a little choked up — the words touched my heart.

“ God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;

The wrong shall fail, the right prevail.”

It’s such a difficult time — election attacks from both sides, the endless pandemic of COVID-19, all the cancelled events and closed restaurants, masks and no hugs — and now wondering about Christmas.  Will the Grinch steal Christmas?

But singing the Christmas songs reassured me that nothing can stop me from celebrating Christmas, because God is not dead, nor does He sleep.  He is alive, as near as my breath, and even if we can’t stand shoulder to shoulder to sing Christmas carols, nothing can stop Christmas from coming. And God’s will is gonna be done, no matter who wins the election, no matter how long we have to wear those annoying masks, no matter how many negative headlines we read.  The joy I feel as we sing about Jesus can’t be stolen by a Grinch or virus or politician. There is no darkness in His presence — His words are a light to my path (Psalm 119).

Memories of Vacation Bible School

        Vacation Bible School has sure changed since I went to VBS in my little town in West Virginia about 60 years ago.  My home town was mostly built on the narrow stretch of land between the road, railroad and the mighty Kanawha River. We pretty much made our own fun, mostly playing Hide and Seek, Kick the Can, football, and softball in my grandparents' yard. We played baseball for a while, but after hitting the ball into the McDade's house, we had to switch to softball.  There was also a bookmobile every two weeks, and I always checked out as many books as I could carry.  There were no theaters, no swimming pools, no Dairy Queens or any other restaurants for miles.
       But for a week during the summer, we had Bible School at our church.  It was wonderful!  We made crafts with popsicle sticks and macaroni alphabet letters, heard stories told with a flannel board,
and raced to find and read the verse called out during the Bible Drill. Everyone brought a Bible, and those with a finger index seemed to have an advantage but sometimes I could still find the verse first!  We sang "Hallelu, Hallelu, Halleu, Hallelujah! Praise ye the Lord!" and "Deep and Wide" with lots of enthusiasm -- until we reached the age of being too embarrassed  to do the motions.
       There was also a Baptist church in our town, and we went to their VBS too. That was the only time I was inside the Baptist church, and their pastor was known as Brother Mickey. I can still remember starting with "GOOD MORNING BOYS AND GIRLS!" in his big booming voice, and we replied "Good Morning Brother Mickey!"  Bible School was in the morning in those days, and almost all the leaders were women, because the men were all at work. I always think of Brother Mickey when we sing "Onward Christian Soldiers" because we sang that after the pledge to the Christian flag. And "Wonderful Words of Life" followed the pledge to the Bible.
       Years passed, and after I was married and had a child, I volunteered to help with Bible School at the Army Chapel in Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks, Alaska. I don't remember much about it, except for the Worst. Craft. Ever.  My friend Donna Miller and I were told to lead the children in making a cross out of sugar cubes and Elmer's glue. When I tried it at home, it seemed simple -- took about 3 minutes and I was worried about what we would do for the remainder of the craft period.  As it turned out, that was not a problem.  It was a disaster. Some ate part of the sugar cubes and didn't have enough to make the cross. Others used so much glue that the sugar dissolved.  Since then I have never volunteered to help with crafts, especially if it involved sugar cubes!
       

      Bible School today has a theme -- our is "Shipwrecked" and we teach the children that Jesus rescues us from our problems.  The volunteers include many men and women who spend days making props.

                        

      We have screens and videos instead of flannel boards, and they serve an entire meal instead of the cookies and Kool-Aid we had back in my childhood. The songs are not the hymns and choruses I knew, but have a rap or rock beat, and lots of bouncing and dancing around.  It is very different.

      But the message is the same.  Last night, the children heard the story of Jesus and the cross.  They were given a strip of a black rag, and as they thought of things they had done wrong, they hung their cloth, like their sin, on the cross. Jesus still rescues us from our sin.

     I am so thankful for volunteers and parents who realize the importance of giving time during the summer to teach our children about Jesus. VBS experiences have stayed with me for all these years, and I hope that it will make a difference in these young lives.

Soles of Hope

   This morning was the 5th annual  "Soles of Hope" at my church.  It was started to honor the memory of a little boy who died of cancer, and I have been blessed to take part in this ministry.  We served breakfast to over 1000 people, gave away over 600 pairs of sneakers, and each family took home a big box of groceries.

   My job was to help the little boys find the perfect pair of shoes at the 5 - 7 1/2 size table.  Some came in with flip-flops or no shoes at all, and as I put socks on dirty little feet, my heart was full of joy to be able to put a smile on the face of boys and parents. One grandma said she didn't know what they would have done without our help. Another burst into tears as she explained that she had just moved here yesterday --"You don't know what this means to me" she said.
    Although our table was stacked high with shoes at 9:00, by 10:30 we only had a single pair of sizes 5 and 7, so I quickly drove to Walmart and bought more, getting back just in time to make more boys happy!

     I was also happy to see some of my former kindergarten students -- so sweet to get hugs and smiles as they recognized me. I loved those kids.
     While the media is full of reports about that small group of racists demonstrating, I prefer to think about the large group of loving people bending down to tie shoes on feet of every color. There are lots more people serving God by serving others than there are of the hateful groups that get all the attention. And I'd much rather be on my knees tying shoes than waving signs and yelling hateful words.

Encourage One Another Daily

   I get a message from my friend Denise almost every day on my Fitbit saying something like,"What are you doing today to reach your goals?"  Many times I am sitting in my overstuffed chair doing NOTHING until I read that message. She reminds me that I do have goals, and her reminder is an encouragement to get up and get started.
   My scripture reading today was from Hebrews 3. "Encourage one another daily so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness."  I was thinking about how important church is to my state of mind. After another few days of Facebook posts and news reports of violence, racism, demonstrations, ranting and raving about political leaders -- I NEEDED to go to church and see smiling faces, get hugs and handshakes, sing songs of praise, and hear prayers and a message about love. I can't make it a whole week -- I need the midweek gathering too. So when I read in my Bible that Paul said "Encourage one another DAILY" -- I knew why he thought that was important.
   It doesn't take a lot to encourage someone -- even a "like" on Facebook or a short message on my Fitbit makes me feel better about things.  I actually wrote a note to an old friend, put a stamp on it and mailed it this week -- my friend doesn't do Facebook -- because I was thinking of her. I don't do that often enough. It is easy to start feeling isolated when you don't have a job that requires you to leave your house, and my church friends and Chorus friends have become even more important than before.  I was grateful for the opportunity to share my story with the younger ladies Encouragehers Sunday School class last week -- and I hope my experiences were an encouragement to some of them.
    This Saturday our church Family Life Center will be full as we invite the community to come to Soles of Hope -- we will give new shoes to all the children, breakfast and a big box of groceries to each family. Life is hard sometimes, and we find joy in being able to give to others. The big smiles that come with the new shoes give us all a lift. It is such a blessing to see so many from church here to serve and help children find new shoes.
     So encouragement works both ways -- whether giving or receiving -- all are blessed.

Can't Change It

    As I was driving home on I-40 this afternoon, I came to a "one lane ahead" construction area. As I inched along, I was reminded of a podcast I listened to recently.  The speaker, Hal Elrod, has leukemia, but he told his listeners that his perspective made all the difference. If you can't change your situation, then instead of getting upset and frustrated, use the opportunity to add value to your life or to the world. So instead of complaining about the slow traffic, use the stop and go moments to change the music on the radio/cd player or enjoy the flowers planted in the median.

There are things in life that you can't change, that seem unfair. But if you just say CAN'T CHANGE IT and look for a way to use the situation to add value instead of getting mad or anxious or frustrated, your life will be better.

      Recently one of my friends was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. As I held her hand and encouraged her, I was actually grateful that I could be a comfort to her because I had that same surgery nearly 20 years ago. One of my favorite Bible verses is Romans 8:28 "All things work together for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose."

There are times that I surely don't understand His purpose.  But I do believe that good can come from anything if we just look for it. Maybe you lost a job -- but then got a better one.  Or were late for work at the Pentagon, like my friend Bob -- and avoided the 9/11 tragedy.  Or couldn't get a visa approved to go back to Jerusalem as a missionary, like my nephew Zachary, but then got called to serve as senior pastor at a church where his sermons are broadcast on the internet and he is able to reach many more for Christ. Or, like my husband, got wounded in Vietnam and airlifted out the day before a big battle where many of his fellow soldiers were killed. All these bad situations were examples of God working things out for good.
        It was certainly not fair that Jesus suffered and died on the cross. He was totally innocent and did nothing to deserve that. But because of His unfair treatment, we can have an abundant life.  So whether we are stuck in traffic, or diagnosed with a dread disease, let's look for the good!